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J. B. WICKBRSHAM. IRON FENCE.

No.16,419. Patented 1121211.13, 1857.

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JOHN B. IVIOKERSHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF FASTENING THE RAILS OF IRON FENCES IN THE POSTS.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. TICKER- SHAH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented, inade, and applied to use certain new and useful Improvements in the Means of Connecting Fence Posts and Ties, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the said improvements, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of these presents, wherein- Figure l, is a section through the various shaped ties that I make use of and showing the manner of attaching the same to the post. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same parts, and Fig. 3, represents sectional plans of the mode of attaching the various ties or rails. The other figures are sepai'ately referred to, and similar marks of reference designate the same parts.

In Letters Patent granted to me on the sixteenth day of September 1856 an angle iron post is shown with mortises or holes receiving bars, wires or rods secured thereinto by means of a key or wedge entered into the angle of the post. In the course of experiments and practical work in connection with the same I have developed certain other features of invention, in adapting my said patent fence to use under the different circumstances in which it has been required; and as the same general features of invention exist in the present application as in the above mentioned patent, I wish it to be distinctly understood that my claims will apply merely as improvements on the said patent.

For the posts or main rail or rails of my structures, I make use of corrugated iron in a single or double U form as shown at a, a, (or a series of corrugations) in the various figures, as` this or similar corrugated iron possesses advantages for strength not found in angle or V formed sheet metal; 4and in order to secure into the mortises through said'angle or corrugated iron, the wire, bars or corrugated strips that intersect and pass through said posts, I make use of the wedge shown in my before mentioned patent or else I resort to the following means, which in some cases are preferable to the wedge or key because they cannot be detached as said wedge or key sometimes is. At b, b, a bar or loop is passed through mortises in the post or rail, and instead of the key, the said strip is twisted between the sides of the cor- 16,419, dated January 13, 1857.

rugated post in the shape of two lips, which prevent the post from sliding on the rail or bar, and also tend to tighten said bar. In Figs. 3 and 6, a bar or strip is shown as secured to a double or single corrugation by means of a lip cut on the edge of said strip and driven back into the corrugation as at w.

A temporary fence or hurdle is often required, in which case I make the same in a zig zag form as shown in Fig. 9, by inserting into the mortises in the corrugated post a, bars or strips c, bent in reverse at the ends, so that when slipped in as in Figs. 9, and 3, they bind in the mortise and prevent the post changing positions or any bar from sliding out.

For grape arbors or for store or otlice railings or farm fences a n formed corrugated bar is often desired. I therefore attach the same as shown at d, d, either by cutting off the curve of the corrugation and flattening the ends and slipping them into each other and into the mortise in the post, or else I punch out U formed mortises and slip the bar through the post and secure-it by a wedge or bolt when necessary. The flanged U formed corrugations e, e, may be attached in a similar manner by having the mortise in the post formed of a corresponding shape, or the corrugated part may be cut oft1 and the ends secured in the posts as seen at f, f, by rivets or wedges or the ends turned up against the post when required. The rail or strip at g g is shown with a lip or edge turned olf on each side of the corrugated post to retain the same in place.

Fig. 7, shows an open niortise and wedge o, to the rail and in the same figure a corrugated rail i, is shown as inserted in a notch in the corrugated post and portions of the edge of said corrugated rail are driven out beneath the corrugation of the post to connect the parts permanently together.

In the construction of fences, grape arbors, or lattice work, I make use of posts or rails a, Figs. 4, and 5, of corrugated nietal and insert through holes vin the same the metallic wires, rods or strips L, 7L, and lace through the same the wire z', which acts the same as a wedge and binds the parts in place as seen in Fig. 8; or the said bars may be swaged into a semi-circular form as seen at 7c, so that a straight wire may be inserted on alternate sides to retain the wires and posts in place, or flat or other shaped iron can be used in place of the Wire.

Having thus described the nature of the improvements that I have made on my said patent of 16th September 18567 and shown the manner in Which I have carried out the feature of improvement therein set forth.) I do not limit myself in the use of these devices to fences, railings, arbors or similar Work7 but intend to use the same for metallic lathing for buildings, roofs7 floors or other structures, 0r to any similar purpose to which the same may be applicable.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as an improvement on Letters Patent granted to me September 16th 1856, is-

Connecting the bars, strips or rails thatpass through mortises in corrugated metallic posts or bars by the means described or by any other means substantially the same to secure said parts at the points of intersection substantially as specified.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this tenth day of December 1856.

JOHN B. WVICKERSHAM.

v/Vitnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, THOMAS G. HAROLD. 

